This month I was focusing on really building myself a strong foundation to get back into blogging with more regularity. I focused a lot on re-building my blog theme, and sort of revamping my Instagram presence too. It might seem odd to you, but the theme changes helped to rekindle my inspiration and connection to my blog so I’m actually glad I took the time to do it.

My month also got thrown off because I forgot how to read a calendar right at the end of the month. I am constantly trying to stay as current as possible with my Netgalley approvals in order to ensure that my reviews aren’t late. So when I got approved for LIFEL1K3, I checked pub date and somehow my tiny brain translated 5/29/18 into meaning that I needed to have my review done immediately.

So I scrambled, put aside my current reads and read that entire book over the weekend. It was right as I finished it that I finally realized that I was off by a month. So I probably could have finished my 2 current reads instead, but oh well – that’ll be two more for next month!

The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton – 4/5 stars. A high fantasy retelling of King Lear! I actually enjoyed this one so much after reading the ARC that I went out and bought myself a copy when it published. ❤ (High Fantasy. Page count: 576)

Not my best month, in terms of amount of books read, but if we’re going by sheer quality this month rocked. I greatly enjoyed every book I read and added a lot of new favorites to my shelves that I will look back on fondly in the years to come.

Instagram Update

I’m obsessed with Instagram right now. I’ve been posting daily lately and trying to engage with the community there as well.

I actually won my very first ever giveaway this past week that my good friend Dennis @Scared_str8 was running, for a paperback copy of If We Were Villains by ML Rio. This book has been on my radar since last year and this is exactly the twist of fate I needed to prioritize it this year. I’m so stoked to get my copy, I’m sure I’ll be reading it soon!

Check out the slideshow below for the photos I posted this week on my feed. And if we’re not already following each other over on instagram, check out my account @bookbastion. Shoot me a follow and I’ll always follow my blogging buddies back!

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Table of Contents / Notable Posts

Book Haul/Book Mail |First Quarter 2017 – I was bad this year and hadn’t been updating the blog as to new books I’d been picking up, so I threw most of them into this list here! I’ve since collected even more that I’m planning on doing a stacking the shelves post for, probably this weekend or next!

An Update to the blog, and Book Tags– The one in which I explain the change of theme on my blog, and my dedication to start participating in tags more frequently! You heard right, feel free to tag me and I’ll do my best to participate where I can.

Badges Collected

And that’s it for my month! I’m sure you all blew me out of the water, but I’m excited to see what next month brings! Reading anything great? Or have you read anything off my wrap up list? Lets chat about it below!

I try to read my galleys as close to publication date as I can. Sometimes approvals will even come with an email form the publisher requesting that reviews not be posted X amount of weeks from publication date. I ended up reading Lifelife a bit earlier than I normally do – because I mixed up the release date!! But I think typically 2-3 weeks is fine.

I think it’s really just like the film industry – the big publishing houses try and balance out releases in a way that make sense and try not to compete too much with their own releases, so they’ll release a few a month within a specific genre. It’s a very competitive industry!

Ooh I hope you enjoy If We Were Villains! I loved it. And I’d say your reading month was seriously impressive – I read a lot last month but only had a couple of 5 stars, so quality-wise you’re killing it!

You had a great reading month, I have been wanting to get back into Insta. I might have to refocus this month on doing just that. Love those badges. You make them yourself? That is a great idea kind of make it like a game.

I’m so glad you had a lovely month and that you’ve been feeling inspired to blog and bookstagram, yay! It’s incredible when we get this little boost and motivation back, I love these moments 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed Obsidio, I haven’t read it just yet, but I can’t wait 😀
I hope you’ll have a wonderful month ❤

so glad you had a quality reading month!! always so much better to read good books than a whole lot of books. also goes without saying that i’m thrilled beyond words to see ya here and posting again ❤ ❤

A new theme always helps reignite inspiration! There is something soothing about revamping parts of your blog! I’m just starting to get back into Instagram after I’ve taken a few months off. I think I need to come up with a better tactic for it, but I just don’t have to time to sit down and plan right now. Good luck with everything! 🙂